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Victory for Cozumel
The island of Cozumel off Mexico’s Yucatán Peninsula is surrounded by coral reefs that are home to more than 1,000 marine species. Cruise ship traffic in and out of three busy ports in Cozumel already threatens marine areas. Meanwhile, a private company has proposed a fourth cruise ship port that would destroy the Villa Blanca Reef—part of the Mesoamerican Reef—and close the only remaining public beach in Cozumel.
We are thrilled to report that plans for the fourth cruise ship port have been shelved!
“Back in 2021, when communities learned that our environment ministry approved plans to construct the new port, they took to the streets in protest,” says ELAW Fellow Aarón Siller.
Aarón arrived in Eugene last week for an 11-week Fellowship. He serves as Director of the Southeast Office of El Centro Méxicano de Derecho Ambiental (Mexican Center for Environmental Law, CEMDA).
Aarón’s office worked for years with the Cozumel community and local organizations to protect Cozumel and the Villa Blanca Reef from short-sighted plans for a fourth cruise ship port. Together, they designed and implemented a comprehensive defense strategy that demanded a public consultation process, promoted citizen participation, and included filing legal and administrative actions for failure to comply with the law.
Following years of litigation and community opposition, the Secretariat of Environment and Natural Resources (SEMARNAT) revoked approval of the project’s environmental impact assessment.
The port project directly threatened the Villa Blanca reef, which provides habitat for numerous species protected under national and international law. Aarón adds: “On an island increasingly marked by coastal privatization and restricted access due to tourism development, the public beach represents a community space of great social, cultural, and recreational importance.”
Over the years, the case became emblematic. Hundreds of people mobilized on multiple occasions, organizing marches, water flotillas, festivals, conferences, and other events, drawing significant media coverage.
“The victory in Cozumel stands as a clear example of how social organization, strategic litigation, and the defense of human rights can stop megaprojects that threaten nature and collective well-being,” says Aarón.
ELAW Fellow Aarón Siller is in Eugene for 11 weeks. He will work with the ELAW Team to build the capacity of CEMDA’s Southeast Office to protect communities and the environment of the Yucatán Peninsula. He is also participating in an English as a Second Language program at Lane Community College. ELAW has collaborated with CEMDA for decades and is inspired by its commitment to a green and sustainable future for Mexico.
Maggie Keenan
Partnerships & Communications Director
Environmental Law Alliance Worldwide
Find more information about the port project here: